Sell straight to a person. Buy straight from the owner.
A private sale usually gets a seller the most money, and a buyer a better price than a lot can offer, because there's no dealer margin in the middle. It takes a little more of your time. Here's how to do it well, from either side.
Three ways to sell, side by side
| Trade-in | Dealers bidding | Skip the dealer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who buys | One dealer | Several dealers, competing | A private buyer |
| Price | Lowest — one offer, no competition | Higher — each bid pushes the last | Usually highest — no dealer margin |
| Your time | An afternoon | A few days | Days to weeks: messages, viewings, test drives |
| Paperwork | The dealer does it | The buying dealer does most of it | You and the buyer, at the provincial registry |
| Best when | You're buying from the same dealer and want it done | You want a strong price without strangers at the door | You want every dollar and can manage the showings |
Selling: how it works here
Price it
Our Smart Estimate shows the private-sale ceiling for your car next to the trade-in offer, so you know the gap you're working with.
Make your listing
Describe the car and choose how buyers reach you: email, and your phone or texts only if you want. Your address is never included.
Share one link
Post it on Kijiji, Marketplace or AutoTrader, or send it to people you know. It carries a price check and lets buyers make an offer straight to you.
Buying from an owner
Every listing made here shows the asking price against our estimate for that car, and lets you email, call or text the owner — whichever they've allowed — or send an offer in one step. You can also bid on live auctions, where private buyers compete on equal terms with dealers.
Before any money moves
Check for a lien — a car sold with money owing can be repossessed from the new owner, and a vehicle history report includes a lien search. Have a mechanic you choose inspect it. See the car, the seller's ID and the ownership papers before paying anything, and never send a deposit for a car you haven't seen. Pay by bank draft or a transfer you can confirm with your own bank, and get a signed bill of sale.
Private-sale paperwork by province
Ontario
Ontario requires the seller to buy a Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) from ServiceOntario and give it to the buyer — it is not optional. The buyer needs a Safety Standards Certificate to plate the car, and pays retail sales tax at registration on the greater of the purchase price or the province's wholesale value.
British Columbia
Transfers in British Columbia go through an Autoplan broker, where ICBC handles registration and insurance together. Both parties complete the transfer/tax form, and the buyer pays provincial sales tax at the counter on private sales — the rate steps up on higher-value vehicles.
Quebec
Quebec transfers happen at the SAAQ, and both the seller and buyer generally need to be present. Quebec sales tax is calculated on the higher of the agreed price or the vehicle's estimated value, so an unusually low sale price does not reduce the buyer's tax bill.
Alberta
Alberta charges no provincial sales tax on private vehicle sales, which is a genuine advantage worth noting in your listing — buyers know it. A registry agent handles the transfer, and a signed bill of sale is the key document.
Manitoba
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) handles registration and transfer through an Autopac agent, and provincial sales tax applies to private sales at the point of transfer.
Nova Scotia
Transfers go through Access Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia applies sales tax on private vehicle sales, and the province requires a valid Motor Vehicle Inspection for the car to be registered and driven.
Rules change; confirm with your provincial registry before the handover.